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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24504250">Language Barriers (Or the Lack Thereof)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/awesomecookies/pseuds/awesomecookies'>awesomecookies</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Banana Fish (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Ash understands Japanese, Bilingual Character(s), Embarrassment, Fluff, Humor, Japanese, Languages, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:15:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,342</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24504250</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/awesomecookies/pseuds/awesomecookies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ash was quietly admiring him when suddenly, as if sensing someone was staring at him, he looked up and met Ash's jade eyes. Ash looked away and immediately went back to his laptop screen. Right. He doesn't need cute Asian to think he was some kind of oogling creep.</p><p>"Wow he looks so beautiful."</p><p>Ash bit his tongue. The cute Asian had said this in Japanese. Here's the shocker though, Ash understood Japanese. At least bits of it. He was conversational but not too fluent. He needed more practice. But you get the point. He could understand the boy.</p><p>But they can't be talking about him right?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ash Lynx &amp; Okumura Eiji, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji, Ibe Akira &amp; Okumura Eiji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>500</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Language Barriers (Or the Lack Thereof)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm just here trying to cheer myself up haha anyway, enjoy</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ash was on his seat, minding his own business while working on his homework for Political Science. The essay wasn't so hard so he didn't prioritize this at all. And now the deadline was looming over him so here he was, in a coffeeshop near the campus, working on it amidst all the other hundred things he needed to do, caffeine taking half of his bloodstream.</p><p></p><div>
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>Anyway. Basically Ash was tired, hungry, sleep deprived and probably on the verge of a hallucination. It was 9 pm and he just wanted to crash in his bed, maybe shower. Being a student was such a pain. Being a political science major was a bad idea in this current year and maybe the years after this. It hadn't even been halfway through and a lot of things happened, you start forgetting what happened in the beginning of the year. (Example, do you remember how there were literal fires on Australia and we thought we were in the brink of war in January? Crazy isn't it?) </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>The problems with being a political science major in this year of the Lord was the amount of ignorant people he had to fight in a daily basis. Although Ash believed, that was the pain anyone educated and have half a braincell had to go through everyday. It's like the education system was so fucked up these people never learned critical thinking skills in school. Instead all they remembered was that mitochondria was the powerhouse of the cell. Sad wasn't it?</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>In short Ash wanted to scream. But screaming was not yet in his schedule. He was given a period to scream later at 5 am. So he pushed his glasses, cracked his neck and stretched his fingers. Then he typed. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Ash was on his fourth page when he noticed a new group sit near him. What caught his attention was the fact that one of them wore his university's jacket and that the wearer was really really cute. He looked Asian, Chinese or Japanese. He had the softest face and the biggest doe-like eyes that were so dark. With him was a petite girl, probably younger than him but who's to say? The guy himself looked so much younger than Ash. He couldn't be too young though since he's literally wearing his school's varsity jacket. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Ash was quietly admiring him when suddenly, as if sensing someone was staring at him, he looked up and met Ash's jade eyes. Ash looked away and immediately went back to his laptop screen. Right. He doesn't need cute Asian to think he was some kind of oogling creep.</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Wow he looks so beautiful."</em></p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Ash bit his tongue. The cute Asian had said this in Japanese. Here's the shocker though, Ash understood Japanese. At least bits of it. He was conversational but not too fluent. He needed more practice. But you get the point. He could understand the boy.</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>But they can't be talking about him right?</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Disgusting</em>." The girl groaned. She looked so tired of her companion's antics. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Don't say that. He does look beautiful. Blond hair, green eyes. He looks like a model." </em> The boy continued. There weren't any other blond haired and green eyed people around so obviously he was talking about him. So maybe Ash knew he looked better than the average guy, but he doesn't think it warranted him to be called a model. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p><em>"Oh wait what if he can understand me?" </em>The boy whispered but still loud enough that Ash could hear it. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Probably not I mean he'd have said something by now.</em>" The girl snorted. "<em>Plus what were the odds?</em>"</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Yes. What were the odds? Apparently it's big and a lot.</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Should I talk to him? Would that be too weird? I want to talk to him."</em> The boy continued to say. Jeez Ash was starting to blush with how eager the guy was. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Eiji Okumura get yourself together.</em>" The girl snapped. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Wait this guy was Eiji Okumura? The campus crush and star pole vaulter, Eiji Okumura? Ash couldn't help but glance at them a bit, and true enough Eiji was still looking at him. Green eyes met dark ones. Ash registered briefly that Eiji had smiled at him. Ash's own eyes widened, snapping them away from those intense stare. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>God what was happening? Ash pushed his glasses and continued to type his essay. Or at least tried to type his essay. It was a little difficult when Ash could feel that prickling gaze on his skin.</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>I think I have a glasses kink now."  </em>Eiji sighed. Alright, that wasn't what Ash expected to hear. He choked on his spit. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Ewww! Why are you like this?</em>" The girl groaned. "<em>You don't even know if he's gay! What if he isn't? What are you going to do?" </em></p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Akira you are so mean.</em>" Eiji said to the girl who's name apparently was Akira. "<em>I'll probably cry.</em>"</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>That's just the thing though. Ash thought. He was very much gay. Very very gay. And this guy who Ash happened to find really really cute was suddenly calling him beautiful. Jesus. Eiji Okumura was pretty much everyone's (or most people anyway) crush. He's like a celebrity. Ash had never seen him till today but he's heard of him and it's often only ever praises. Eiji was so kind, Eiji was so skillful, Eiji was actually smart. That sort of compliments from all over campus. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>And yet here was the man, freely giving him compliments. What kind of fever dream was this? Maybe he had hallucinated this encounter. That's right. He must have passed out from exhaustion and caffeine poisoning. He'll wake up and he'll find himself sprawled on the coffeeshop's table. But for now he'll enjoy this dream yeah?</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>I guess he doesn't really know me. A stranger suddenly hitting on you would probably be creepy.</em>" Eiji murmured. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Just talk to him if you're that desperate to get laid!" </em>Akira complained. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>I don't want to get laid!" </em>Eiji spluttered. "<em>I want to go on a date with him, maybe watch a movie, or I don't know go on walks with him.</em>" </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Walks." </em>Akira laughed. "<em>What's this? Some kind of regency romance?"</em></p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Ash bit his lip at the two still oblivious over how he was eavesdropping their conversation. Actually regency romance didn't sound bad. He does enjoy walks in the park. But he also kind of does want to get fucked so regency romance kinda won't work for him. Ash felt his face flush.</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p><em>"Is it so bad that I want to maybe fall in love with the guy and hopefully raise some puppies with him?" </em>Eiji sighed.<em>"But actually getting laid is pretty great. I would love him to top me. I definitely would get down on my knees and suck him off if he asked.</em>"</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Will you really</em>?" Ash replied in perfect Japanese, his face was already so red. Eiji's eyes were wide at his words and the realization that he understood everything that was said. His face was red from the tips of his ears to his chest. He squeaked and covered his face with his hands. How adorable.</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Akira meanwhile was laughing her ass off, hand clutching her stomach while she nearly rolled on the floor, laughing. "Holy shit." She wheezed, finally resting her head on the table as she shook from laughing.</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"You...understood everything?" Eiji asked, this time in English. He managed to peek through his fingers. </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>Hai.</em>" Ash responded sheepishly. "I took a foreign language course in Japanese." </p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Eiji squeaked and covered his face once again, reddening more than he already was before.</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>"<em>For the record," </em>Ash started in Japanese, emboldened by Eiji's reaction. "<em>My roommate is out tonight, that is if you want to fulfill your promises. You're also very cute you know, it's crazy."</em></p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Eiji took a deep breath before he looked back at Ash, probably calming himself down from getting embarrassed. "I think I should introduce myself first." He held out his hand. "Eiji Okumura."</p>
    </div>
    <div>
      <p>Ash grinned and took his hand. "Aslan Callenreese."</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A comment would be nice 😅</p></blockquote></div></div>
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